The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-04-30
PERFUME-MAKlNG.
An Industry Which Might BE Successfully
Developed in the United States.

developed IN the lntteu states.
Although essential oils for the max
ing of vegetable extracts and for medi-
cinal purposes are quite largely manu-
featured in the United States, perfume
making in its proper sense, is yet in its
infancy. The peppermint fields of
Southwestern Michigan, in good years,
are said to be more remuneratiye than |
wheat raising, and there is no reason
why flower farms for the production of
fine perfumes should not also be cult |
waited. Our finest perfumes still come
from across the sea. Pure altar of |
roses is still the costly secret of the
Orient, small flask of it with its
Arabic trade mark often bringing a
thousand dollars. French altar of
roses is probably more extensively used
than the Turkish, but it is not equal to
the latter in purity and delicacy and
does not bring so high price.
Flower raising is an extensive indus
try in Southern France, acres upon
acres of tuberoses, geraniums, orange
blossoms, jasmine, roses and other
specimens of Flora's realm please the
eye with their beauties, and steep the
senses in their delicious fragrance.
Beneath the orange and lemon trees
grow odorous masses of violets, which
require but little cultivation, and bring,
it is said, an average of five cents per
pound. Acacia trees. with their hon
ey-dripping blossoms, line the road
sides, and the orange orchards of Nice
and Cannes are as extensive as the corn
fields of Illinois and Indiana. At Nice
alone the daily sale of orange blossoms
during the harvest of these flowers,
which lasts about five weeks, is esti-
mated at from eighteen to twenty tons,
while the violet crop raised on the same
ground amounts to $4,000 tons each
season. The gathering of these
lovely haryests gives employment to
hundreds of women and children, as
the flowers for perfume must be picked
by hand so as not to be bruised. Per-
fume-makers of the large cities often
buy the whole crops of flowers stand
ing and send agents to attend to the
harvesting. Years ago it was estimated
that this one branch of French industry
alone amounted to $16,0O0,OO0 an
nually.
There is no reason why America,
with its great variety of soil and
clipooto chnulJ NOT ,Vo;1 ;+so1f Df Al n
benefits of this industry, especially in
the Southern States and California.
And even in the North it could be
prosecuted with great profit. Roses,
violets, heliotrope, lilies of all kinds,
mignonette, mock orange, honey locust,
verbenas, lilacs, bergamot, rosemary
and many other plants used in perfume.
making could be easily grown. And
the fields of white clover, the masses of
wild eglantine; the fragrant linden
trees, the odOrous arbutus blooms and
water lilies, the spicy laurel, all of
which grow wild, without the aid of
human culture, need but gathering to
be made source of profit as well as
beauty. The possibilities of flower cul,
ture in the South can hardly be overesti-
mated. The most riotous Imagination
can scarcely picture the realities of the
natural flower gardens of California,
where plants which here, with the most
careful cultivation, are only modest
shrubs, grow to tall trees, adorned
4 N,~ifl, fhaits cOpnnolC Of hnnntN
fragrance. All the rare beauties of the
floral kingdom. which in the North are
brought into bloom by the most pains
taking process in greenhouses and con
servatOries, not only throng the gar
dens here, but run in wild luXurianct
over uncultivated fields and hillsides
Florida. too, could be made a vertablt
Elysium of loveliness. Honey-raisins
could also be associated with the fowe,
industry, as the immense fower-feld
would be a paradise for bees, and so
double profit be derived with but littl,
extra outlay of labor or expense.
BY far the greater part of the work
after these flower farms were one,
under cultivation, could be done b,
women and children. How many poo
slaves would be glad to escape from
the close factories, with their stifin,
atmosphere and binding dust, into thi
kingdom of the beautiful whose worl
would be to them Il greater recreation
than any holiday they ever knew
How the lustreless eyes would kindle
the sunkcn cheek round out, the scraw
NY form develop in the sweet, free nj
and gladdening sunshine! And woul
it not help to solve the problem
"What shall we do with our poor =
Harriet Smead. U Current
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Eort,y ,-na,,s oro on old .Iod,- /,